Altman sells startup optimism days after warning of ‘sobering’ AI

Sam Altman told Axios that next-generation AI models will be “sobering” and require cautious, safety-first rollout, while also claiming the upcoming GPT-6 Astra makes it possible for anyone to launch a company with “genius-level” expertise across functions. He framed this as a “revenge of the idea guys,” arguing that near-zero development costs expand the viability of products for a few thousand users, creating real economic value for non-technical founders.